More Prattle from Povey

  I rarely use emoticons.  I do not know what they mean.  I fear that I could add an emoticon which I thought meant "with sympathy", but in fact said  " your grandfather was a parsnip smuggler". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I am similarly cautious with abbreviations in text messages.  Yes, I am one of those who thought that LOL said Lots of Love, not Laughing out Loud.  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Imagine this:  A friend sends me a text message announcing that her pet Gerbil had just died.   I reply  "LOL".   I thought that I was saying Lots of Love.    My friend "heard" Laughing out Loud. That's never happened, but it could have! -------------------------------------------------------------------- Earlier today my friend Mary C sent me a very witty message on Facebook Messenger.  I replied thus: " A true laugh out loud, not a wimp

Terrific (diluted a bit with water) for  braising meat. Terrific to add flavour to home made soups ( especially vegetable or chicken soups). Terrific as a sauce. ** -------------------------------------------------------------- **   My simple supper today was Fava (Broad) Beans, cooked and cooled; then gently bathed with Toasted Sesame dressing. (Other brands of Toasted Sesame dressing will probably work just as well).  T'J's brand has that certain  je ne sais quoi)

  Sarasota's "Cat Depot" has a summer day camp at which attendees are introduced to various animal species.  Today the Campers met Zion the Wonder Dog. I was supposed to talk about Zion's work as a Therapy Dog. All well and good but the Campers were more interested in giving him treats. He was very happy to get treats and belly rubs.                              SMART DOG! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Also today. At our local Supermarket (Publix)  I came across these lovely serving dishes  (for salads and cold dishes  etc.) They are: 1. Lovely. 2. Made mostly from biodegradable bamboo. 3. Inexpensive -  just over $4 each today. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are so many household artifacts which can, and are made from   biodegradable  Bamboo.    So much better than all the items we use which are made from eternal plastics!

  From our local French bakery named Rendezvous One is a Baguette, the other was labelled "Traditional French".  They make our Supermarket Baguettes look like Wonder Bread.

"   Man crashes into shop, runs off,  and is  attacked by emu."                                               Stock photo'

  When the name of a close friend or family member comes into you mind. When the name of a social friend (Church, Golf Club, PEO, Political Party friend comes into your mind. When the name of a passing acquaintance ( someone you greet regularly but do not know well).  comes into your mind. When those names come into your mind 'phone or visit that person, (e-mail is insufficient). It's the voice of the Universe telling you that that person needs to hear from you. Listen to the Universe!

  "To Sleep, Perchance To Dream"   In my case, Shakespeare got it the wrong way round. "You are one of the most restless sleepers I've ever seen" .  So said a sleep Doctor some ten years ago;  after I'd had an overnight sleep test. I know it.  My bed looks like a battle scene in the morning. One of the factors is restless arm syndrome. I sleep on my left side with my right arm over my body, and resting on top of my left hand. Inevitably I get what feels liked an electric shock on my right arm. Then I slap my left hand, slap my left, shoulder, then slap the left hand again. I am told that I probably have a potassium deficiency. I dream a lot, and remember the dreams.  My most famous one was when I dreamed of a talking Camel who delivered the mail on a route which began in Southampton, England and ended in Cardiff, Wales. Or so he told me. Two nights ago I saw a  KaBoom florist shop in my dream.   Remember that "Seven Day Wonder Florist" chain with i

  Perfect

  Cooked Fava (Broad) Beans sprinkled with Feta Cheese.

  He stood by the side of the road as I waited for the traffic light to change. He carried a bit of old cardboard with just two words. We all know the game: close the passenger side window, and avoid eye contact. But I couldn't.  He was forty something. His clothes were long past the "for sale" date. He was weary and worn and sad.    I reached for my bill fold. It contained six dollars. I gave him five. He thanked me and wished me a "blessed day".   I have no idea why I kept $1 for myself. Zion and I drove on to the Park.  We walked. Zion pooped.  The man's weary worn and sad  face stayed with me. I couldn't escape it.   On my way home I stopped at a convenience store and bought a large sub/grinder/hoagie sandwich and big bottle of cold lemonade . Thank goodness the man was still at his pitch.  I circled around and handed the sandwich and lemonade to him.  He responded "that's fantastic". I drove away with my all too familiar teary eyes.  G

  English Crumpets  ( known as Pikelets in many parts of England) Scottish Jam Crumpets from Trader Joe's,  Preserves from the International Foods section at Publix Supermarket

  Zion and I used to enjoy some canine therapy at a Sarasota outfit for GLBTQ Youth.    Z was a star. Our ministry ended when there was an "upset" and the staff liaison person we knew and liked was summarily fired. That kind of arbitrary firing is not un-common in many non-profits. I have stayed in touch with that staff member "A", and we met today for a walk at Sarasota's Arlington Park. A took the photo'.  In the background are S and I who we knew as young members of the aforementioned GLBTQ Youth Group. S and I are now grown up. They were tickled pink to meet Zion (and me) again. I love the pics of me - an old man with a walking stick!- as Zion the Wonder Dog leads the way!   

  Why lawns in Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Southern California etc? Lawns which are purely decorative, and not functional.   Lawns which are high maintenance: with the costs of  watering (sprinklers ), fertilising,  mowing etc. Lawns on which no games are played; no picnics are held. Lawns which soak up the water which is needed for farms and kitchens. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- A neighbour ( 1/2 miles away ) has a better idea. His front lawn space is devoted to Florida friendly/ native plantings.  Drought resistant, low maintenance, and very lovely! YES!

The five (or six) towns which now make up the City of Stoke on Trent, U.K. were the centres of the flourishing 18th and 19th Century manufacture of Pottery on an industrial scale.  Hence they were/are known as "The Potteries". You'll known the famous names  "Wedgwood" and "Spode", but the Potteries were more than that. Industrialisation meant that Mrs. and Mr. Ordinary could purchase decent cups, saucers, plates, teapots etc. at decent price. The large workforce needed food for the lunch break.  Thus grew the famous Staffordshire Oatcake business. Enterprising women caught on.  They would sell oatcakes from their front doors to the men as they walked to work.  ( The oatcakes were sometimes filled with ham, bacon or sausage). FAST FOOD LONG BEFORE McDONALDS! The Potteries have all but declined but the Staffordshire Oatcake lives on. (Oatcakes are Crepes , made with Oats, Flour and Yeast). The best of the best Staffordshire Oatcakes are made by  (hold yo

  From a recipe posted by my Facebook friend Julianne T 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes\ 2 15½-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup lime juice 1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro OR flat-leaf parsley 2 ounces queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup) Warm a 12-inch skillet over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, occasionally shaking the pan, until the skins split and char; transfer to a small bowl and set aside. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, toss the beans with ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high until hot, 1½ to 2 minutes. Immediately add the tomatoes, scallions, oil, and lime juice; toss, then season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature, stirring once or twice. Stir in the cilantro/parsley. Serve sprinkled with the queso fresco/feta.

  In a local and decaying plaza. She decided to make her nest in one of the small planting acres. She is sitting on seven eggs.   We wonder if they will hatch. A kind person provided water.

 

  A fabulous photo' of a House Finch in all its glory, taken by my friend Kathy B.J. in Connecticut. As I told Kathy my mother's birth name was Finch;  so I count myself as a  Halfinch.

  JUST FOR FUN! Have some Poveys Oatcakes for breakfast. Oatcakes are famous in Staffordshire U.K. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staffordshire_oatcake Poveys Oatcakes is one of the remaining makers. https://poveysoatcakes.com I couldn't  resist the fun of getting some Povey Oatcake mixes for you jmp

I have no idea if  there is a traceable connection between my family and the Povey Brothers of Portland Oregon.  But I'll take fame from wherever I can find it! They were/are quite famous in that region, being considered the "Tiffany type" Stained Glass  Artists of the north west U.S.A. Here is what Wikipedia reports https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povey_Brothers_Studio                                                                                        John Povey House, Portland OR                       Ceiling glass in the Oregon Supreme Court  (Alamy is the owner of the photo', it is not a part  of the stained glass !)                         Old St. Peter's Church, the Dalles, Oregon                   First Christian Church, Eugene, Oregon. ================================================= Here is a video about Povey Stained Glass.  ALERT   It is slow moving, and the music drives me crazy. https://vimeo.com/173965372 ------------------------------------------

 

  I am not so sure why  \we need to use oil based laundry detergents, After all: 1.  Our clothing, bedding, towels etc.  do not get filthy dirty; they simply need to be refreshed. 2. Doing the laundry is not the laborious task which engaged our mothers  (mostly),     before the days of running hot water; the days when our outer and inner clothing got dirty and smelly and were laundered but once a week. 3.  We do not have to heat water in a copper boiler (as my Mum did) for the weekly wash. 4. The use of our modern washing machines (for which I am grateful)  makes "doing the washing" (U.K.);  "doing the laundry" (U.S.A) a simple, and in some cases a daily task. So why use harsh detergents, and un-necessary fabric softeners? Our washing/ laundry deserves better. So I revert to that old fashioned product called soap.  A very little sliver  goes a long way, and "does the job well" 

  The easy way.  2/3 Bottle of  this.  (Rich flavours. Low Sodium). Add 1/2   cup of grated stale white bread. Two English cucumbers, peeled, de-seeded and finely chopped.   1/3 cup of Worcestershire Sauce. Not as wonderful as is the Tampa Bay area Columbia Restaurants' superb Gazpacho. Nonetheless pretty  darn good

  Zion had other ideas. He hates books.  He made me scratch his pate. I was not allowed to read! "No book reading allowed.  My chest needs scratching".  JMP loves it when Z hooks his forepaw around his wrist!

  I made a batch from scratch.  I tasted so good but it was a wee bit "solid" -  too much cheese and not enough milk. I enhanced it today for lunch by adding some milk and slow cooking it in a skillet with a Dover Sole filet. Yummy.  I included a not so secret extra -  some cut up water chestnuts  -  to add that most desirable crunch factor.

  A marvelous, challenging and wise reflection. I had something I was going to say about Independence Day. It was really very good: something about the measure of your belief in a thing being the willingness you have to fight for it; neat and short; a good pastoral message.   Then another young man climbed onto a rooftop in Highland Park and opened fire on a parade. Six are dead. Dozens wounded. What words suffice the bodies of the dead who had the simple temerity to march down the street on a national holiday?   There are other words running a circuit in my mind now. I can't stop hearing them. They're the words of the Rambam, who was a physician, and who believed the soul was like the body: that it could be both healthy and sick. He said that there was a kind of illness where the sufferer would believe that that which was actually bitter tasted sweet. And so they would stuff themselves with horrible things: coal, earth, dust, mud - all the while believing that they were feedin

  Happy Birthday to my sister Maureen Joy (Povey) Theobald, born on 6th July 1937. The finest sister anyone could hope to have.

  I arrived in the U.S.A. on or about July 6th 1976.  It was the Bicentennial year and I thought it wise for this Limey to arrive after the Independence Day celebrations. I was bound for Fitchburg, MA to be the Deacon, then Priest in Charge at the  Church of the Good Shepherd. It was not until I began my ministry in Pittsfield, MA that I encountered a b....i...g  Fourth of July Parade.  The parade went by St. Stephen's Parish where we set up camp on the front lawn and sold lemonade and hot dogs etc. to benefit Church Funds.  A lot of work for a small return. One year I was asked to be on the Reviewing Stand on Wachonah Street.  My companion was Rabbi Harold Saltzman. We were more  interested in jaw boning about theology than enjoying the Parade! The PittsfieldParade was so big that  Public T.V. broadcasted it live for three or so years. Sic Transit Gloria Mundi! The biggest and oldest American Fourth of July Parade is in Bristol R.I.  This Bristolian never got to see it. My favouri